How was the 2025 International Year of Cooperatives for you and your organisation?
2025 has been a year full of events and initiatives dedicated to co-operatives, underlining how the co-operative model is an essential solution to overcome many challenges and how it plays an important role in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. But most importantly, the year was an opportunity to give maximum visibility to our members and co-operatives.
Throughout the year, Cecop has continued its various activities to strengthen, engage and promote the network. I would highlight two: a conference on co-operatives as drive of change organised by the European Commission – we were a partner of the event and supported the European Commission in its preparation – and our campaign on Quality Jobs highlighting how industrial and service co-operatives contribute to fair, inclusive, and democratic working environments, and why this should be recognised at EU level.
Related: Cecop report points to stability among its member co-ops
The year also brought new challenges such as building relations with new elected MEP and EU commissioners. On a personal level, this year has been especially meaningful to me as I was elected president of Cecop and have begun the rewarding process of better discovering our network, getting to know our members and their diversity more closely.
What are your hopes for 2026?
Looking ahead to 2026, our hope is to firmly position industrial and service co-operatives at the heart of the European agenda, highlighting them as a concrete and credible response to social cohesion and territorial autonomy. This means not only promoting our values, but also advancing clear, practical proposals that demonstrate how co-operatives can deliver sustainable solutions for people and territories across Europe.
As discussions on the future EU budget (MFF) progress – this file is of critical importance for us – we hope to see a stronger social dimension in it that ensures social justice and cohesion where co-operatives can play a strategic role. We will work closely with our partners to achieve it.
